And Then There Were None
by Clay Thomas Williams
by Clay Thomas Williams
Imagine being so full of yourself, that you ignore the obvious. You’re so busy doing you that you fail to see what’s right under your nose. Octavia’s selfish destructive behavior that was full of lies and deceit caused her life to spiral out of control until she crashed and burned costing her everything. She gambled with love and lost totally obliterating her life as she knew it. Octavia thought she had it all; beauty, two loves, and a promising career. And in the end she ends up with nothing. A tale of a rude awakening to one day be forced to realize life doesn’t revolve around her.
Excerpt from And Then There Were None
Audio Reading: http://www.audioacrobat.com/note/C7t9s4yx
I need to be in church, maybe I can get some clarity. I haven't been to church since our Grandmother passed away; I just couldn't find my way here. We grew up in the church and its funny, the only time I come to church now is when I have a problem. I was a pure demon for the past two years and now I need Jesus. Good thing God is a forgiving God.
Sitting in church looking for answers to my secret problem; it seemed as if Pastor Clark was in my head. God sees all, and what’s done in the dark always comes to light.
Who told him, is God sending me a personal sermon?
As I sat there waddling in my own little sea of deceit, Yvette franticly patted my leg and pointed across the church. I thought for a minute as Jesus appeared to escort my sinning behind directly to the devil in a brimstone laced chariot.
“What,” I whispered.
Shhhhhhhhhhhhhh, Sister Johnson schooled us like she did when we were ten. She turned all the way around with her big yellow hat with a feather in it; rolled her big eyes with her inch long fake lashes at us, then turned back around and faced Pastor Clark.
Yvette put one finger up in a wait one minute position, reached in her Fendi bag and pulled out a pen and sticky note pad just like she did when we were ten, and began to write and handed me the note. The guy in the yellow shirt and brown suit, that’s Jason.
I shrugged my shoulders as if to say who the heck is Jason, Yvette snatched the note from my hands balled it up and proceeded to write another. She held the note in her two hands turned it to me; the note said JASON HILL FROM HIGH SCHOOL.... in all capital letters
“Oh! I mouthed silently
Yvette shook her head up and down balled up the note and let out a frustrated growl and began to write again.
“Octavia, you don’t remember him, she wrote.
I took another look at him, took her pen and sticky note and wrote back.
NO! I don’t. Why should I remember him, did I date him?
No stupid, I did. She wrote back.
Yvette started writing again. I looked away from the note and across the sea of big hats and prayer clothes to the good looking brother in the brown suit. I looked back at Yvette with an agreeing nod and whispered a sarcastic, “And?”
At this point I have had quite enough of Yvette’s little guessing game and snatched her pen and sticky note pad and wrote.
Get to the point girl, cause you, Sister Johnson and that dude in the brown suit are working my last nerve yawl gonna make me lose my religion up in here.
Remember that incident in high school and he gave me four hundred and fifty dollars, and you and me went shopping.
I wrote back. Say word?
I’m going to tell him the truth and apologize, the note said.
My eyes widened as I snapped my head back in Yvette’s direction.
“WHAT,” I said out loud.
Yvette Shhhhed me and nodded her head yes. I took her paper and began to write. “Are you nuts? He probably doesn't remember it or you.
She wrote back I’m gonna do it anyway, to clear my conscience.
I wrote, are you serious? For ten years you've had a case of the “I don’t give a crap” and your conscience hasn't bugged you in all this time. All of a sudden you see him and you’ve got a case of morals. Girrrrrl, please.
She wrote, just something I have to do; the truth shall set you free.
I wrote, well gotta do what you gotta do.
I began to think God touched this girl and urged her to clean her soul with the whole truth shall set you free thing. The truth can get you a black eye, I wanted to talk her out of it but she seemed to be at peace with her decision so I kept any further comments to myself.
Yvette made a beeline across the Church to confess to Jason.
I tried to read the look on Jason’s face as his expression changed from “Hey, it sure is nice to see you, to what the heck did this chick just say to me.”
I watched them thinking at this moment how much I admired Yvette and respected her for doing what she was doing and knowing that was something I could never do. Admit I lied, never!
“Well come on then she said in her usual playful manner, I feel like a weight has been lifted off my chest,” she added.
“Yvette you told him?”
“Yup.”
“Well, what did he say?”
“He said he can’t believe I thought to do this after all this time and he forgives me and appreciates my honest. Then he asked for his four hundred and fifty dollars back.
“You gonna give it to him I asked.”
“I said I felt better, not stupid.”
We laughed at the same time the way twins freakishly do.
NOT.
I guess confession is good for the soul.
( Continued... )
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About the Author
Clay Thomas Williams is a freelancer, writer and copy editor for IRIDE, an exciting, nationwide, informative, motorcycle magazine. IRIDE magazine is based out of North Carolina. Clay is member of the WritersCafe.org and Premier Author with Upnext Media Group.
Clay, whose government name is actually Nat’e Elliott, talents aren’t limited to novels and print magazines but music as well. She has written tunes that are in the ASCAP’s database.
Clay Thomas Williams lives by the philosophy that every bit of fiction has a hint of the truth, and life experiences good or bad or indifferent create and shape the beautiful, brilliant black woman she is. She resides in North Carolina with her family.
And Then There Were None by Clay Thomas Williams
Genre: Urban Fiction
Purchase: http://amzn.com/B00JKUM2V6
